1:35 M39 Csaba Road wheels (Firestone)

The real subject

The Csaba is a Hungarian light armored car from the time of the Second World War, listed under the designation 39M. It served mainly for reconnaissance and liaison, that is for tasks in which speed on the road decided rather than the strength of the armor. On a wheeled armored car the wheels stay in view from every side, unlike a tracked vehicle, where most of the running gear can be seen only from the side. The tread pattern of the tire therefore catches the eye at once on a finished model and carries a large part of the impression of the whole car.

What the set contains

Replacement road wheels in 1:35 scale for a model of the Csaba car. The qualifier Firestone in the designation refers to the maker of the tires whose tread pattern the wheels carry; real vehicles were given tires from various suppliers and it is exactly in this that the individual sets of wheels differ from one another. The number of pieces in the package, whether a spare wheel is included and the kit the wheels are cut for are all stated by the maker of the set.

Building and painting tips

The parts are not polystyrene, so cement for plastic models will not join them. Use cyanoacrylate applied in minute drops, ideally with the tip of a toothpick. Cut the excess material and the production marks away with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remainder carefully, so that the round outline is preserved. Wash and degrease the wheels before painting, otherwise the coat does not hold on the smooth surface. Paint the tire and the disc separately and join the parts only once they are painted; with a brush the boundary between them is hard to keep. Rubber is not black: a lighter gray tone looks more faithful in scale, and a dry brush in a dust shade around the circumference then brings the tread out nicely.

Terms of supply

The kit of the model, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.